1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light emitting device and an image display device having a light emitting element and a phosphor. The semiconductor light emitting device and image display device in the present invention may be used for various use applications including a light source for display, an alternate light source for a small bulb, a backlight light source for a liquid crystal display panel, general illumination, decorative illumination, a luminescence display device, a display, and a projector.
2. Description of the Background Art
In recent years, the light emitting diode (LED) element that is formed of a gallium nitride-based compound semiconductor material attracts a great deal of interest. The light emitting diode element is characterized by small size, light weight, energy saving, long product life time, resistance to repeated ON/OFF lighting and so on. Therefore, by combining a light emitting diode element radiating blue light or ultraviolet light with various phosphors emitting part of light radiated from the light emitting diode device as an excitation source, light emitting devices outputting light of the colors including white that are different from that of the light emitting by the LED chip are developed. Such a light emitting device is a promising illumination device alternative to an incandescent lamp, a fluorescent lamp and the like.
As a phosphor used in such a light emitting device, a semiconductor phosphor microparticle attracts interests as an alternative to a conventionally used rare earth activated phosphor. The semiconductor phosphor microparticle allows arbitrary control of emission wavelength that was not realized by conventional phosphors. Therefore, a light emitting device using such a semiconductor phosphor microparticle is able to have various emission spectrums. This technique is a promising technique that enables fabrication of a light emitting device having a high color rendering property and high efficiency.
Fabrication of a light emitting device including a semiconductor light emitting element and a semiconductor phosphor microparticle as described above is currently studied and disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2007-103512 (Patent document 1). Patent document 1 discloses a light emitting device wherein rare earth activated phosphors are used as blue and green phosphors, and semiconductor phosphor microparticles are used as yellow and red phosphors.
On the other hand, an organic electric-field light emitting element using an organic substance is greatly expected for applications as a surface light emitting element and a large area full color display device, and developed actively. However, the conventional organic electric-field light emitting element is difficult to be brought into practical use because of its low luminous efficiency.